Deception
by Katrina
Summary: "Funny how he didn't leave his cell phone laying around anymore like he used to though. Not that she'd have looked, but still…" GIO/BETTY. AU. Set one year on from 'Painted On My Heart'. Is Gio cheating on Betty?
1. Love

DISCLAIMER: "Ugly Betty" is copyrighted to ABC Studios. I retain rights to the plot, but not the characters. This story is meant for enjoyment purposes only. No infringement is intended.

AUTHOR: Katrina

TIMELINE: Set one year on from "Painted On My Heart."

SYNOPSIS: AU. Gio/Betty. Is Gio cheating on Betty?

**DECEPTION**

Betty Suarez was worried.

Very worried.

And scared…and hurt…and sick to the stomach…and all those other horrible feelings that swirl around your insides when you suspect something awful about the person that you love.

Letting out a sigh, Betty stood up then walked across the lounge of her boyfriend's apartment and reached out to run a finger tenderly down the side of the picture frame that sat on top of a side cabinet. The photograph within showed her and her love, Giovanni Rossi, cuddling and sharing a tender smile.

The following day was going to be the anniversary of their first year together and they'd planned to go out for a quiet dinner together. After a rocky start to their relationship, to say the least, they'd come through and she'd really thought that Gio was for keeps…until four weeks ago.

That was when she'd first begun to notice that things were a bit…off with him. Oh, it wasn't anything overly obvious…just little things. Working late here, not available for lunch there. Things that, at first, she'd not really taken any notice of…but then the phone calls had started.

The odd, late night call that he apparently had to take in another room. Or, if he did stay, then he'd only give cagey one word answers whilst flicking a quick glance her way every so often. Naturally, she'd asked him about them but he'd always dismiss the calls as being to do with work or someone trying to sell him something.

Funny how he didn't leave his cell phone laying around anymore like he used to though. Not that she'd have looked, but still…

Taking her hand away, she gave the picture one last, longing look then turned around and sat back down on the comfortable sofa. Glancing at her watch, she noted it was twenty to nine and Gio still wasn't home.

Worry and fear began to claw up her insides again making her feel physically ill. Leaning forward, she picked up her bag then dug around inside it for her cell phone. Pulling it out she unlocked the keypad and checked her text messages. Finding the one she wanted, she opened it up and read through it once more.

'Hey B, got prob with freezer. Waiting 4 it to be fixed, sorry. Will meet u at my place. G xx'

There was nothing there to suggest any wrong doing on his part, so why was she feeling this way? She knew that Gio wouldn't cheat on her, the whole idea was ridiculous, he just wasn't like that.

But hadn't she once thought the exact same thing about both Walter, her first boyfriend and Henry, her first love? And what had happened there? Walter had cheated on her with the woman from her street and Henry had conveniently 'forgotten' to tell her about a girlfriend he had back in Tucson.

She shook her head in denial. No. Not Gio. Every time he'd been late his reason had been plausible and the phone calls were probably just as he said. All this misery was what she was bringing on herself through her own insecurities. She was looking for problems when there weren't any. Certainly she had nothing to complain about in his behaviour towards her – in fact, he was more attentive than ever…

She frowned slightly. Could that be because he felt guilty?

The sudden sound of a key turning in the front door lock caused her to jump slightly and she hurriedly put her phone away. Feeling slightly flustered at being caught thinking bad thoughts, she stood up just as Gio entered the room then gave him a big grin and little wave of her hand. "Hi," she greeted, way too over-brightly.

His face lit up in a pleased smile as soon as he saw her and he pulled her into his warm embrace then kissed her soundly. "Hey," he said softly when they pulled apart, his voice low and intimate as he stared into her eyes.

Only Gio could intone that much emotion into a simple greeting. "Hi," Betty replied again, a little breathlessly this time.

"I'm sorry I'm so late," he told her with an apologetic smile. "There always seems to be something going wrong lately."

"That's ok, it's not your fault," she replied with a shrug. "Did you get the freezer fixed?"

"Not really," he admitted before stepping away from her to take his coat off and drop it on the couch. "Matteo came over and helped me patch it up. It should last the night but I'm going to have to get someone out tomorrow to mend it properly." He ran a hand wearily through his short hair then sighed and shook his head. "I just hope I don't have to buy a new one."

Betty knew it was a cost he could well do without and felt her guilt return that she'd been thinking he was lying to her when he was so clearly worried. "I'm gonna hit the shower," he told her as he leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before heading towards the bathroom.

Betty watched his retreating figure disappear with a concerned frown. "I'll put some coffee on," she called as he went out of sight.

She heard a grateful, albeit muffled, reply and set off to complete her task. Once done, she carried the steaming mug into the bedroom and placed it on his bedside cabinet just in time to hear the sound of the shower cease.

She sat down on the bed and moments later Gio entered the bedroom drying his hair with one towel while another was wrapped low around his waist. His bare torso still glistened with small droplets of water and Betty found herself avidly watching one tiny rivulet slowly wend its way down from his collarbone. It rolled over his firm chest then changed direction suddenly, obviously having come across some small imperfection in his skin before, finally, concluding its journey at his navel.

She licked her lips, almost as if she could taste the droplet on her mouth. Lifting her eyes back to his face, she snapped out of her daze to find he'd stopped moving and was looking at her intensely.

Desire flooded through her at his expression. A year on and her lust for him hadn't abated one iota. Without a word, she stood up, took off her glasses and walked over to him. Grabbing the towel at his waist, she gave it a firm tug and threw it to the side, letting it fall in a heap on the floor. Her other hand reached up to cup his cheek then she leaned in and kissed him hard. She needed this; needed him; needed the reassurance of their love.

As if just awaiting her signal, Gio instantly released his hold on the other towel and put his arms around her, pulling her tightly to him. He kissed her back with the same amount passion she was bestowing on him and Betty soon felt the full force of his arousal.

They stumbled over to the bed and fell upon it both tugging at Betty's clothes. Soon, she was naked, her soft, bare flesh relishing in the feel of the hard, male body above it. They writhed on the bed, each knowing the exact spot to caress to bring the utmost pleasure to the other, eliciting soft gasps and heated groans. It was a knowledge borne of months of intimacy between a truly loving couple.

They rolled over until Betty was on top and she raised herself up, poised to welcome him in. Breathing hard, they stared at each other as she slowly sank down, both revelling in the feeling of complete union. They were one.

She began to move, internal muscles tightening around his length as she rose up, a gentle grinding into his pelvic area on the down stroke. Her nails lightly trailed down his chest to his stomach then up again, causing him to let out an appreciative moan.

His hands slid up her sides then moved inwards to gently caress her breasts, his thumbs brushing over her nipples time and again drawing little gasps of pleasure from her mouth.

She let her head tilt back and closed her eyes, pushing her chest forward more into his palms, silently urging him for firmer contact.

Instead of obliging, Gio sat up then put his arms about her waist. His hands supported her back as he leaned in and nuzzled her chest, capturing first one rosy bud in his mouth and lavishing it with attention, before moving over to the other.

Betty gasped his name and her motion faltered as she clutched desperately at him. The sensations he generated spiralled ever downwards to her core making her grind down on him even harder.

Not wanting it to be over quite so quickly, she somehow managed to gather her wits long enough to tug at his hair. Gio let out a slight moan of protest as he reluctantly relinquished his prize but she pushed him back down onto the bed and began to move with more urgency.

Keeping her gaze locked with his, she put her forefinger to her mouth and swirled her tongue tantalisingly around it. She saw Gio swallow convulsively and felt his hips jerk upwards as his hands moved to clasp her waist.

She ran her wet finger slowly down between her breasts then over her stomach and down further still until she reached the nest of dark curls that covered her sex. Dipping her finger in, she found her sensitive spot then closed her eyes as she let out a long, breathy groan.

"God, Betty," Gio choked out as he watched her ministrations.

She felt his hands tighten around her waist almost painfully as his hips thrust upwards. Harder and harder, faster and faster he moved, relentlessly pushing both of them towards completion as the erotic sight of her pleasuring herself made him lose the last of his control.

Betty reached her peak first, her walls contracting around him fiercely as she called out his name. Gio came seconds later, his grip on her waist tightening convulsively as he held her still and pushed up as hard as he could, emptying himself deep inside of her with a low groan.

Spent, Betty fell forward onto Gio's chest and his arms automatically closed about her in a warm embrace. She felt him softly kiss her forehead and then start to gently stroke her hair.

"Are you OK?" he asked quietly.

"Mm-hmm," she murmured in response, snuggling into him further. She raised her head and smiled at him. "I love you," she said passionately then leaned in and kissed him tenderly on the lips.

"I love you too," he replied once they broke apart. "Always." He smoothed a stray lock of hair from her face then leaned in and kissed her again.

Betty sighed contentedly as the kiss ended and they both turned on their sides still facing each other.

"You know, it all happened so fast that I forgot to use anything," he said after a few moments silence.

She saw the slight concern in his face and smiled. "I know, but…I think I'm OK with that."

"Me too," he admitted with a grin of his own.

Lying there in his arms, seeing his smile at the possibility of a child, she wondered how she'd ever thought he could betray her. There was no way he could give himself so completely, be so open and be seeing someone else as well. It was utterly ridiculous and now she felt ashamed for her foolish, unfounded suspicions.

She gave a tired yawn and felt her lids droop drowsily as sleep came fast upon her. The last thing she remembered before drifting off was his murmured words of love and a gentle kiss to her forehead.

As soon as he realised Betty was asleep, Gio gently extracted himself from her embrace and got out of bed. He picked up his now cold coffee and went out into the lounge where he grabbed his jacket and retrieved his cell phone from its pocket. He pressed a couple of buttons and took a gulp of his drink, grimacing at the taste, as he listened to the ringing tone on the other end.

"Hi, how are you?" he greeted warmly in a low voice when the call was finally answered. He listened to her reply then chuckled quietly before turning to glance at the bedroom door and sobering. "Yeah, she's here, I can't talk long." He sighed. "I've gotta say, I'm finding really hard. I hate lying to her." He paused. "I know it was my idea, but still…," he trailed off and sighed again. "Well, at least it'll all be over tomorrow night and then we can be together forever."

Another pause then he said, "Yeah, I feel the same. How about you come to the deli around three? It's usually quiet then and that'll give us a couple of hours before I have to meet Betty for dinner. OK, I'll see you then. Bye."

Gio put his phone away then finished his coffee and put the mug down on the kitchen sink. He walked back to the bedroom and climbed into bed as carefully as possible so as not to wake Betty. Once in, he dropped a soft kiss on her shoulder then turned on his side, away from her, and settled down to get some much needed sleep.

A few moments later, he opened his eyes again and stared into the darkness. His whole life was about to change and his stomach rolled queasily as he thought of what he had to do the following day.

Sleep was a long time coming that night.

END CHAPTER ONE


	2. Betrayal

CHAPTER TWO – Betrayal

The bright sunshine of early morning cascaded through the windows of the small apartment filling the room with light and warmth. Gio was humming to himself as he busily washed up the last of the breakfast things.

In contrast, a sober looking Betty sat hunched up at the small table in the kitchen and watched as Gio finished what he was doing then dried his hands on a towel.

He turned to face her then smiled hesitantly as he bent over to place a swift kiss on her lips. At the last moment, Betty turned her head so that his mouth connected with her cheek instead. He pulled back and stared at her with a mixture of concern and puzzlement.

"Are you _sure_ you're feeling alright?" he asked dubiously.

I'm fine," Betty automatically replied as she visibly rallied herself and summoned an over bright smile. "Just a little tired."

He stared at her for a few moments then shook his head slightly. "And that's all it is?" he questioned again.

"Yes, Gio, I'm positive," she declared a little sharply as she looked down, unable to meet his worried gaze.

He glanced at his watch and let out a sigh. He was torn. As much as he wanted to stay and find out what seemed to be bothering Betty, he really needed to be somewhere before he went to the deli and opened up. He walked off to get his keys and jacket then returned to where she sat and kissed her goodbye on the cheek.

"I've got to go. I'll see you later at dinner, OK? Seven o'clock sharp. Don't forget," he warned her with a smile.

Betty nodded. "See you later," she replied as he headed for the door.

With a quick wave, he was gone.

As soon as the door closed, Betty's composure cracked and she felt the first tear roll down her cheek, closely followed by many more. She clamped her hand over her mouth to try and hold back the broken sobs that racked her rigid body as her entire world crashed down around her ears.

Gio. _Her_ Gio was cheating on her with another woman.

She'd finally had her proof when she'd awoken suddenly after their lovemaking. Reaching out for him, she'd become aware that the bed was empty and had initially thought that he might be answering a call of nature. As she'd lain there though, she'd heard his muffled voice coming from the lounge and had got up to investigate. Just as she'd been about to leave the bedroom, she'd overheard part of his conversation and it was then that she'd realised that he was on the phone to another woman.

In a single instant all her energy seemed to leave her body as she'd slumped heavily against the wall and tried to stop herself from hyperventilating. Through the haze of denial she'd heard him finish his call and forced herself to crawl back into bed where a numb feeling overtook her being.

Turning on her side, she'd feigned sleep as her head swirled unpleasantly with her newfound knowledge. She'd simply not known what to do. It had taken all her willpower not to pull away as Gio had stealthily crept back into bed beside her and dropped a kiss onto her shoulder.

She'd felt sick at his touch and had been tempted to confront him there and then but she just didn't have the energy. He'd have denied it anyway and, in truth, she needed time to let everything sink in before deciding what to do next.

After a fitful sleep, she'd felt drained and exhausted. Gio's attentiveness that morning had made her feel worse. She couldn't believe how 'normal' he'd been acting. It had helped her reach a decision though. She was going to go to the deli at three o'clock and see Gio and that woman together for herself.

She'd done her best to keep it together until he'd left. There was no way she wanted him to know that she'd found out about his lies. But now he was gone, she could allow her bottled up emotions to run free.

More sobs racked her poor body as she thought of what she would find later that day.

She cried until there were no more tears left to shed then moved her tired body to the bathroom. Like a robot, she automatically showered and got dressed, going through the motions of a normal day.

How odd to do something so mundane when your world had just crumbled to dust.

As she left the apartment, her cell phone began to ring. She pulled it out of her pocket and gazed at the name on the display in trepidation. It wasn't Gio as she'd feared, it was her sister, Hilda.

Betty bit her lip and stared at the phone until the ringing finally stopped. Without giving it a second thought, she switched her phone off and put it back in her coat pocket. She couldn't face talking to any of her family just yet. They all adored Gio and it would break their hearts nearly as much as it has hers when they eventually found out the truth.

Tears filled her eyes and threatened to fall again but she determinedly held them back. This wasn't the way it was meant to be. Gio was supposed to be 'The One'…The _Guy_! She'd expected to have his kids and grow old with him, not be planning to spy on a secret tryst between him and another woman.

Blinking rapidly, she dashed away a couple of wayward teardrops then sped up her gait as she headed towards a nearby park. She had a few hours to wait and knew the peaceful place would offer her the solace she needed.

Or so she thought.

Everywhere she looked there seemed to be yet another loved up couple walking hand in hand through the park sharing secret smiles and kisses.

Families playing softball reminded her of the time Gio had tried to teach her how to strike the ball.

All around her, children played happily, their joyful squealing and giggling a constant reminder of what she'd never have with Gio…

Or would she?

On the day when her fears of his betrayal had become real, their passionate act of lovemaking the night before now seemed a rash act of reckless need on her part.

Her hand covered her stomach protectively, almost of its own volition and she looked down at herself with a mixture of wonder and despair.

What if a child had been conceived?

The thought made her happy and sad all at the same time. If it were to happen then at least she knew that Gio would always be there for her and the baby even if _they_ weren't together any more. She knew he wouldn't just abandon his child, even though he wasn't able to stay faithful to its mother.

Betty smiled slightly, her natural optimism allowing her to see the tiniest of tiny silver linings in the large murky, grey cloud that currently hung low over her life.

She spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon just sitting in the park. Her thoughts alternating between imagining a life as a single mum and playing out various scenarios of how she was going to confront Gio later that day.

It was bittersweet.

Eventually, she glanced down at her watch and saw that it was time for her to leave. With a deep breath, she stood up and headed off to Gio's deli.

She arrived just after three and slowly approached the store. Now the time was here, she was unsure whether she really wanted to confront them. All the things she'd rehearsed to say suddenly seemed pointless when, in reality, the simple truth was she wouldn't have Gio anymore. A long tirade on unfaithfulness seemed a bit redundant. Nothing would change that fact. Nothing would make her forgive him for his betrayal. What was the point? It certainly wouldn't make her feel 'better' either!

Standing there, she realised that a big part of her wanted to run, but another smaller, yet stronger part wanted to see the type of woman that had caused her boyfriend to stray.

She took a couple more steps then came to a shuddering halt. With a loud gasp of shock, Betty felt the blood drain from her face as she stared through the window of the deli.

Gio had his back to her and wound around his neck were the arms of a woman he was obviously kissing passionately for all the world to see. Long, bright red nails bit into his white tee then released him suddenly as she drew back.

Betty gasped again, this time finding it hard to breathe as she recognised the woman who had ruined her life.

With a sudden burst of energy, Betty turned and fled, the image of the woman's face mocking her as she blindly ran. If it had been anyone else, she would've learned to deal with it.

But not a betrayal like this…not her own sister…

Not, Hilda.

END CHAPTER TWO

A/N – Apologies for lack of updates but I'm hoping to get this one finished at some point and so hope you all enjoyed this next instalment! Just wanted to give a big shout out to Crystal who prompted me to get back onto this story again! Thanks, Crystal


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